This will be the fourth time I am using Serpent Spam so I am hoping I have got most of the rules sorted and know what I am doing.
PJ is running a flying circus list, which will be interesting, as I have plans for such a list in the future. However he is using Fateweaver, which I am keen to see how well he performs. PJ has used his Daemons five times including this game, so looks like it is going to be a game of noobs!
* I do not 100% know PJ's list, doing it from memory, but will edit when I do get his full list
Eldar - 1,650 points
HQ
Spiritseer (conceal/reveal & the run one)
Troops
5 x Wraithguard w/ Wave Serpent - Serpent w/ twin-linked scatter lasers & holofield
5 x Wraithguard w/ Wave Serpent - Serpent w/ twin-linked scatter lasers & holofield
5 x Dire Avengers w/ Wave Serpent - Serpent w/ twin-linked scatter lasers & holofield
5 x Dire Avengers w/ Wave Serpent - Serpent w/ twin-linked scatter lasers & holofield
5 x Dire Avengers w/ Wave Serpent - Serpent w/ twin-linked scatter lasers & holofield
Fast Attack
Vyper - 2 x shuriken cannons
Vyper - 2 x shuriken cannons
Heavy Support
2 x War Walkers - 2 x scatter lasers each
2 x War Walkers - 2 x bright lances each
Daemons - 1,650
HQ
Fateweaver (life leech, prescience, fiery storm & mental fortitude)
Lord of Change - mastery level 3 (flickering fire, perfect timing & misfortune)
Troops
10 x Pink Horrors
10 x Plaguebearers
Heavy Support
Daemon Prince - daemon of tzeentch, daemonic flight, warp forged armour, exalted reward (grimnoire) & mastery level 3 psyker (flickering fire, endurance & warp speed)
Daemon Prince - daemon of tzeentch, daemonic flight, warp forged armour, exalted reward (portalglyph) & mastery level 3 psyker (flickering fire, warp speed & life leech)
Soul Grinder - daemon of nurgle
Game: Purge the Alien & Dawn of War - night fighting not active
Deployment
PJ wins the roll off for table side and deployment. He keeps his troops in reserves and deploys his big monsters right out in the open. The Grinder goes in a ruin with the front part blocking it, though nothing is protecting the sides.
I deploy all Wave Serpents in the bottom right corner using a ruin best I can for cover - I place the Wraithguard Serpents (unpainted ones) at the back to get cover from the other Serpents. War Walkers cram in between the Serpents though the Vypers deploy in a line behind a ruin. In hindsight I probably would have done better putting the Vypers bottom right corner.
* Tactical Notes
PJ has dropped his big monsters in the middle of no where with zero cover, so if I can seize and I know that is a big if, but if I do then those monsters are gonna do down quickly. This is my second plan though as I am not making my tactical choices on 16% chance of a die roll.
I am expecting PJ to come diagonally across to me and land in front of the ruin I am using for cover. This will force me around out of cover in order to shoot at his big monsters.
The first big monster I am going for is the Grim-Prince, without this Prince PJ cannot get the 2+ inv on Fateweaver.
Once Grim-Prince has gone I'll be going for Fateweaver to tag myself slay the warlord. After Fateweaver anything will do.
Turn 1
I attempt to seize, but fail.
Daemons; PJ uses the grimnoire on Fatey and now has the 2+ inv. All big monsters become airbourne and come flying straight down the board and land near the Vypers; bonus for me as I can stay on the hill and get LOS and use the ruin for some cover, though his is dependent on space.
Shooting; a Prince shoots into a Vyper and manages to stun it, another goes to shoot at the other Vyper and I manage to stop that with deny the witch. Fatey shoots at the untouched Vyper and gets an nice amount of shots and totals it scoring first blood. Grinder fires some shots and misses them all because it is poo.
Eldar; I have to jiggle my Serpents about a bit as the small ruin is blocking the big monsters nicely. Lance Walkers move up the right flank and got a choice to blast the exposed side armour of the Grinder or shoot through the ruin windows at a Prince.
Shooting; stunned Vyper shoots the Grim-Prince, hits scores a wound, monster fails grounding test, but PJ re-rolls this thanks to Fateweaver. Two more Serpents fire into the Grim-Prince and take him down, boom, scatter walkers unload with 16 S6 shots and total the Grim-Prince - no more 2+ inv for you Fateweaver! Due to LOS I fire at the other Prince, which I take off two wounds but fail to ground. One Serpent I move flat out as cannot draw LOS and seems the Prince isn't grounded I fire the lance walkers at the Grinder, they hit twice and roll snake eyes for armour pen; awesome!
Kill Points - Eldar: 1 Daemons: 2
* Tactical Notes
PJ has scored first blood, which I cannot say I am surprised about when shooting at the Vypers. My own fault as I should have protected them more - lesson learnt.
On a good note though I have taken out the Grim-Prince which means Fateweaver isn't as survivable now. I have taken two wounds off another Prince, but unfortunately didn't ground it.
For PJ every monster lost is a big dent to him, next turn I am hoping to take out the wounded Prince and Fatey.
Turn 2
PJ rolls reserves and both his troops fail to arrive. If I can destroy all of PJ's units this turn I will table him turn 2; that's my plan!
Daemons; the trio of flyers move across to the right flank so sitting on the terrain piece looking down on the lance walkers. PJ this time remembers to move his Soul Grinder :)
Shooting; all three big monsters blast my lance walkers, I fail deny the witch every time, but as I am a Dark Eldar player I am handy at rolling 5+ inv saves - ultimately the lance walkers are destroyed but it took all big monsters firing at them to do so. Soul Grinder blasts a Wave Serpent and does bugger all.
Eldar; I move the lone Vyper so getting cover from the bastion while my Serpents re-position. I cast conceal on the Spiritseer and bail out both Wraithguard units, the concealed unit goes into the ruin so will get a 2+ cover save if PJ fires through the ruin.
Shooting; I put three Serpents into the wounded Prince and PJ does well with grounded tests and armour saves, which the Prince does not fail one! After getting fed up of shooting the Prince I blast Fateweaver, who goes down even with re-roll - now grounded Fateweaver has two wounds left, which I blast him with Wraithguard and boom Fatey is mush! Slay the warlord to me.
Kill Points - Eldar: 2 Daemons: 2
* Tactical Notes
Ok, so I wanted to kill the Prince and Fateweaver, it did't happen, but at least I tagged one of them. Unfortunately I now have two Wraithguard units ready to be smashed by big monsters. I am expecting PJ to drop them down and charge them and as both units are fearless then nothing is going to run away. I just hope PJ wins combat in his turn so I can shoot him in my turn.
Next turn really depends on the combat results and if troops arrive. If troops do arrive I will do my best to kill them for a quick point. I may put some shots into the Soul Grinder, but as my Wraithguard are probably gonna get mushed looks like I'll have to glance it with serpent shields.
Turn 3
Plaguebearers arrive from reserve. PJ drops them in the small ruin top left, though they scatter out towards the large red ruin and land in open ground - Wave Serpent target practice!
Daemons; as suspected, both monsters drop down and go to charge the Wraithguard units. Soul Grinder moves but cannot draw LOS as got low terrain rolls.
Shooting; Grinder fires at the Vyper but bastion cover makes the save. Monsters do not shoot as want to mash!
Assault; I overwatch the Lord of Change and roll a 6+ to hit and then a 6+ to wound (this causes instant death), PJ sucks up his pants and rolls a 6+ to save! In combat the LoC kills one Wraithguard with smash attacks, the Prince goes last as moving through terrain, which my Spiritseer takes off another wound with his fleshbane staff. I suggest to PJ not to smash as will kill more, unfortunatey my advice back fires as he rolls below average and kills two Wraithguard.
Eldar; I move the War Walkers, Vyper and a Wave Serpent towards the Plaguebearers using the bastion for cover. Another Serpent lingers behind using a ruin for cover. I move three Serpents on the right flank to get side armour shots on the Grinder.
Shooting; Plaguebearers get gunned down and earn my a kill point. I fire one Serpent into the Grinder and do diddly squat, I decide it isn't worth my time and move the remaining Serpents flat out so they re-join the other Serpents by the bastion.
Assault; Prince challenges my Spiritseer, I decline and Prince mashes more Wraithguard - just one left! LoC rolls rubbish again and only kills a single Wraithguard.
Kill Points - Eldar: 3 Daemons: 2
* Tactical Notes
Limited shooting for me this turn as PJ has tied himself up with my Wraithguard, but at least I got a kill point. I also decided the Grinder isn't worth it, after all it isn't doing a fat lot.
Next turn will be interesting as I hope the LoC kills my Wraithguard and it means I can gun it down. I expect the Prince will challenge again, which if I do not reply the Prince should wipe out that unit and I can dakka the Prince to bits.
Turn 4
Pink Horrors arrive from reserve and PJ lands them right behind the lone Serpent on the right flank.
Shooting; Horrors blast the rear of the Serpent and score shaken result. Soul Grinder shoots and actually does something, though holofield makes the save.
Assault; Keeper only manages to kill two Wraithguard so means will win combat in my turn - I do manage to put a wound on it though. Prince challenges, like a lemon I accept and the Spiritseer is dead - if i didn't then both would have died and I could have shot the Prince, doh!
Eldar: I move all units back across to the right flank and they are in range of the Horrors. Shaken Serpent moves near the LoC, hopefully I can bait it to smash attack it which means I can dakka the LoC. Same bait for the Prince too. I move one Wave Serpent flat out to the top left corner and park it behind a ruin - next turn Avengers will bail out into terrain and score me linebreaker.
Shooting; I dakka the Horrors and they go down like a wet blanket. I move remaining Serpents flat out and use the bastion for some cover.
Assault; both Wraithguard fall giving PJ two kill points. The big monsters can now fly again in his turn, damn it.
Kill Points - Eldar: 3 Daemons: 4
* Tactical Notes
It is getting to the end of the game and PJ is taking a lead on kill points plus has slay the warlord and first blood. In order for me to win this game I need to table him or not suffer any more losses. This mission is great for PJ as his list has low kill points, a brilliant strength of the flying circus.
Next turn I'll be going for the Prince as it only has a single wound left. I'll then focus on the giant chicken. I will also bail out the Avengers from the Wave Serpent which moved flat out, I can then get linebreaker :)
Turn 5
Daemons; Lord of Change turns coward (though good game play by PJ) and flys back towards the Grinder so doesn't give me a kill point. Between us we theory the Prince is dead either way so may as well take something down with it, PJ moves the Prince to assault my War Walkers. If the Prince doesn't destroy the War Walkers and remains locked in combat, then PJ will have this game in his hands.
Shooting; Grinder does bugger all the Lord of Change runs so in the top left hand of the ruin where the Grinder is, really PJ should have just dropped the chicken down so the front ruin wall would block LOS. I'll have to use this to my advantage.
Assault; Prince assaults the War Walkers, I roll two 6+ for overwatch, one wounds the Prince......Prince fails and kill point to me! :)
Eldar; all Serpents re-position so can draw LOS on the Lord of Change or Grinder. War Walkers just piss about as does the Vyper. Avengers bail out and move into terrain and claim me linebreaker.
Shooting; I dakka the chicken and knock it out the sky and down to a single wound, unfortunately I cannot finish it off. I do not bother glancing the Grinder to death with remaining vehicles and just move any which haven't shot out flat out.
Kill Points - Eldar: 4 Daemons: 4
* Tactical Notes
That damn chicken wouldn't go down, good job PJ cast forewarning on it. I cannot grumble though as the Prince went down to overwatch, which is great because if it didn't then my War Walkers would probably be giving up a point in turn 6 if it happened.
Turn 6
At this point the game is a tactical draw as we both have same number of kill points and both of us have scored two points for secondary missions. We roll for it and a 5 comes up, game on!
PJ decides to go balls to the wall and the chicken comes flying down in hopes of getting linebreaker. In order to get linebreaker PJ needs to run at least 8", he rolls his dice and gets a 6 - too short.
To win me the game all I need to do is kill the Lord of Change and I manage to do that in the first barrage of Serpent fire. We call it at this point as there's no point tabling PJ as I have won already.
Victory to the Eldar with 7 points to 6
Summary
That was a really enjoyable game. I was expecting the game to be easier if I am honest due to PJ's investment in monstrous creatures taking away from other elements in his list. Though my rate of killing monstrous creatures was pretty low and only one per turn, plus PJ had the turn he wisely charged the Wraithguard and that brought him another few turns of survival.
We both have limited experience playing our lists, we was like a bunch of noobs forgetting things, but luckily we're both easy going players and let each other off with the mistakes or reminded each other to do something.
PJ made two mistakes I can see and that's deploying his monsters out in the open. Yeah I know he went first, but there is always that 'what if'. Secondly was running the Lord of Change deeper into cover and in turn giving me LOS. Should have dropped the chicken right behind the ruin wall and then I wouldn't see anything. This mistake probably cost PJ the game as the chicken would have remained in that position for the last turn as I still wouldn't be able to see it, or fly off and still have plenty of wounds.
I am really enjoying playing Eldar again; their fast and shooty play style really suits me.
I made a mistake with my deployment, I put the Vypers out to dry and should have put them on the right flank with everything else. I was concerned the Soul Grinder would take them out, but I should have used the Serpents to block LOS or at least give cover.
I also shouldn't have accepted the challenge with the Spiritseer against the Prince and really should have let the unit die. Luckily things worked out ok for me in the end, but lesson learnt and will be remembered!